Review: ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’

He Said:

As you’ve already read the synopsis by this point, I will say that overall I really didn’t enjoy this movie. As with most comedies, there is at least something to laugh about, but I think they could have done a better job bringing this to the big screen. With so many story lines, that maybe only slightly intertwined, the story jumped between them much too often. It left me not caring about what was happening to the majority of the characters. I think Ginnifer Goodwin was about the most perfect choice for Gigi out there. I’d definitely consider myself a fan of her work on the HBO series Big Love. The casting of Justin Long as a cynical and smug counterpart to Gigi’s vibrant, fun-loving naivety was also a good move. From the male point of view, you really can’t go wrong with Scarlett Johannson’s Anna as the willing temptress and while you definitely see Jennifer Anniston and Ben Affleck on the screen, the way the stories are cut it just felt like they were wasted filler.

So, for my movie going dollars, I would save them. Sure, if you know you are going to play poker on Saturday and need to build up some brownie points Friday night, give this one a shot. She’ll know by the end of the movie that there is no way you weren’t totally thinking about her when you picked this one out. Just remember when you see Anna (Scarlett Johannson) on the screen, try not to look too excited.

My rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

— Anthony

She Said:

Let me first start by saying that there was a certain expectation I had when I went into this movie. I am totally into your typical “chick flick”; a sucker for them actually. When I saw the preview for the movie, I was either going to see it with all my girls, those that would really appreciate the film, or I could drag my husband to the theatre and make him miserable for about an hour and forty five minutes. I chose the second of the two.

The star-studded film is made from the book penned by the Sex and the City writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo. It tells the story of a group of interconnected, Baltimore based twenty- and thirtysomethings as they navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of marriage life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex†¦ and hoping to be the exceptions to the “no exceptions” rule.

Gigi (Ginnifer Goodwin) just wants a man that is going to call her when he says he will. Who wouldn’t? She is full of hope and desperation. During one of her hopeful episodes of waiting for her previous date to call, she meets a bartender named Alex (Justin Long) and he enlightens her with the fact that if guy doesn’t call a day or two after a date, he just isn’t interested. This is the whole plot of the movie. Goodwin was the perfect person to be cast as Gigi.

Beth (Jennifer Aniston), Gigi’s colleague, is wondering if she should call off a seven year relationship with Neil (Ben Afflack). Her sister got engaged to a man she has been seeing for a much shorter time. Neil has made no hint as wanting to tie the knot with Beth, and she is getting a little restless. Aniston masters your typical “I am not getting any younger here, and everyone but Neil is aware” character who tries to be optimistic about the fact, while everyone is rubbing it in her face†¦ unintentionally of course.

Anna (Scarlett Johansson) is getting friendly with a married man and, at the same time, is leading a guy named Conor (Kevin Connelly) on. Conor is oblivious to the fact that Anna is out of his reach. Anna consults her friend, Mary (Drew Barrymore), on her dilemma, which in my opinion wasn’t such a smart move considering the fact that Mary is searching for a “live” relationship with someone who isn’t gay. Johansson portrayed the other woman type pretty well while Barrymore nailed the ditzy all-my-relationships-happen-over-technology chick.

With Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein (Never Been Kissed) writing and Ken Kwapis’ directing (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants), they did a fairly decent job bringing this to the big screen. I wasn’t rolling on the floor laughing during the movie, but I will have to say that it was cute. There were a couple of times when I looked over and witnessed Anthony laughing, so I have to give them some credit there. This film was a little more than what I expected it to be, however, I would still recommend my married or committed friends to wait for it to come out on DVD. Â For all those ladies that are single trying to find out if they are the exception or the rule, this movie is made for you.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

— Heather